River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-04-07
THE HORSE.
His danger when sick.
Try DR.. F. E. PARSONS.

His danger when sick.
PY DR.. F. E. PARSONS.
In former articles we have said some
thing of the dangers which constantly
confront the horse through the mis-
management of those who have him in
charge, on account of ignorance of
his disposition, capacity, needs and
rights; but to fully comprehend his
greater dangers, and man s concentrat-
ed cussedness of conduct toward the
poor brute, it is needful to watch care
fully the kind OF treatment this good
and faithful servant receives when he
is sick. 1t is an established fact, that
there is no harder thing to find on this
earth, than man who does not know,
in his own opinion, just what to do
with sick horse. Through this pre-
vailing cOnceit many valuable animals
are annually sacrificed or permanently
blemiShed, and still those who did the
fatal work are loud in their claims of
knowledge concerning the disease they
have ignorantly tempered with.
Let the most skillful veterinarian
receive patient to his stable, and the
chances are that. before he has time
to examine the pulse, the case will be
diagnosed in the fruitful minds of a
half dozen bystanders, the prescrip-
ton decided upon, and the surgeon
written down fool because he does
not accept all their opinions at once,
and proceed with rapidity and in quick
succession to dose the horse with all
the villainous compounds recommend
ed by these self constituted medical
advisers. Ask either or each of these
simplest questions of the horses con-
structiOn, of the rules of diagnosis, or
of the symptoms of the various dis
eases they have mentioned, or rather
disgTaced with some unmeaning mis-
homer, and they cannot answer; ask
them the simplest questions in anato-
my, physiology or materia medica and
they will prove themselves as destitute
of knowledge as Satan is of righteous
ness, and still they hold to the cOnceit
| that they are wise veterinarians, and
the veterinarian fool.
1t cannot be considered unfair to
ask, what right has any man to admin
lister medicine to sick horse, who
knows nothing of disease, and is not
able to distinguish one complaint from
| another! who does not know the diff
ference of symptoms in spasmodic col
| ic and Inflammation of the bowels,
who does not know aZoturia from con-
gestion of the kidneys or pleurisy
| from pneumonia. Why should anyone
presume to treat disease when he does
not understand the nature of the dis
1 no ftnntinno of
| the organ he claims to be Affected
Or why should he who persists in treat
| ing the horse for diseases that do not
| exist, and with medicines the effects
of which he cannot define, be permit
ted to dose poor brute on the plea
that so and SOS horse acted just that
way, he gave him this medicine and he
got well. We have seen horses dOsed
with diuretics on the suppositi0n that
something was wrong with the kidneys,
when in fact strangury was the troub-
le, and when told the truth of the case
the one who prescribed did not know
where stranguTy was located or what
the term meant. We have seen horses
dosed all day for bots, when afflicted
with spasmodic collie, and the farrier
felt insulted when told that bots in the
horses stomach are harmless and
strictly legitimate, and the remedies
given for this fancied trouble (bOts
were puzzles past finding out. When
a man talks about treating a horse fOl
chest founder, bots, and other impossi
BILE complaints, it is safe to decide that
he is ignorant of the nature of both
and, probably equally as Ignorant OF
actual diseases with which the horse
is afflicted.
When it is fully realized by horse
owners that, the horse has a delicate
and complicated anatomy. that he is
subject TO numerous complaints, which
require for their treatment as thorough
knowledge of disease and medicine
and as thorough diagnosis as is required
to properly treat human patients. ther
probably the noble animal will find tn,
protection he is entitled to.
One of the greatest obstacles to tht
successful treatment of the diseases o
the horse is found in the lack of pa
, thence of the owner, and the unwil
lingness to meet reasonable charge
for his treatment. Very few seem t
realize that. veterinarian time ant
skill are of much real value, or tina
! time is needful to success in the treat
, ment OF disease, and especially il
chronic ailments. The majority seen
to think that chronic founder. o
grease, corns, thrush, or anything els
/ of long standing should disappear a
once in the hands of studied Veterin
arian. not realizing for moment tina
, months, snd perhaps years bav'
elapsed since the complaint first com
7 menced; and if the surgeon fails of sue
cess they think he deserves blame bot
! for want of skill and for his charges a
well.
; 1t is absolutely certain that man
D horses have been killed by wrong treat
ment, and it is equally as true tina
, improper treatment never saved
/ single animal however much may hav
been claimed for the treatment.
Drugs that have no effect whateve
), upon the diseased organ, however Lii
5 orally given can promise nothing, an
| medicines administered by those VIII
cannot tell their uses or effects, prom
: Use no more; but so much of this soT
5 of practice is INDUCED In, and so niue
I done in desperation, just the oppOsit
/, of what the disease present indicates
: that the horse in his helplessneSs a
i against his tormentOrs, is deserving o
T pity. and entitled 10 fairer and fulle
| measure of humane consideration.